One Chance
by dreamsjacque
Summary: Ray Steele, 58, single father with no career. He aims to make his daughter's life easier by not being a burden to her. Christian Grey, 28, CEO billionaire, has everything but feels empty inside. What happens when Ray becomes Christian's Personal Assistant? An unlikely friendship blooms between these two different men. And when Christian meets Ray's daughter, Ana? He's lovestruck.
1. Prologue

**Hey. Jacque here. I am wishing you all a Happy New Year with a new story.**

 **PROLOGUE**

When I was four, I dreamed of becoming an astronaut. I told my Mom that I would be the first man to reach Jupiter, and Pluto even. But that was before the stars decided not to align anymore.

When I was ten, I decided that being an astronaut is not really the dream. It is to become a writer in a newspaper. But that was before the pages of opportunities decided to end.

When I was eighteen, I applied to be a firefighter. I was ready to rescue lives and be invincible in fire. But that was before everything burned down.

When I was twenty-five, I dreamed to be a publisher. I dreamed to choose the good books to show to the public and to satisfy the readers with the literary piece I discovered. But that was before life told me that not all written words are to be read by people.

None of those dreams came true. I didn't become an astronaut, nor did I become a newspaper writer. Neither did I make it as a firefighter. I didn't even become a publisher. I am fifty-eight years old and am a huge burden to my daughter.

Ray Steele, the dreamer never reached his dreams at all.

After graduating high school, I had multiple jobs. I worked four jobs, so I could graduate college. During my last semester, my mother had stroke so instead of financing myself, I financed her maintenance. Sure, we had insurance, but they don't really help that much. I needed to do the effort. She died shortly after.

I couldn't go back to school since two of those three jobs I had fired me. They said they had to cut people since the business isn't going well.

Then, I met Carla when I worked as a plumber and she was a ray of light. She's had misfortunes too. She escaped an abusive home causing her to only finish her junior year of high school. At the age of twenty three, it was her dream to finish high school.

I found another job. Although low-paying, it managed to have her dream come true. She finished high school. Then during her graduation day, she proposed to me. When she knelt down, I told her to stand up because I should be the one doing that. We got married and she felt as though we were in a castle though our apartment was smelly and it had roaches in it.

We discovered she was pregnant. I worked extremely hard. I jumped from one job to another so I could provide for our little Anastasia.

When our daughter was born, Carla died due to complications.

I recalled telling her, "Don't you dare leave me. You're still going to travel the world with me. You're going to experience the best things in life. I'm going to give you the world."

She looked at the baby and said, "You've already given me the world."

When she died, I made a promise to do whatever it takes to take care of my little girl. I worked as a janitor and a plumber and a salesman too. Whenever there's this opportunity to work in a big office, something always happens.

First, the company owner changed so his employees will too. That included me getting fired in my first day of work. Second, I entered this bigshot company as a document controller and I didn't even get a salary because they were on the verge of bankruptcy. Third, I thought I had my shot as a marketing officer at my friend's firm but it turned out to be a scam.

Nevertheless, Ana graduated from community college and I raised her well. I didn't have work now. I got laid off from the convenience store. They said they wanted a younger employee. At fifty-eight, they said I was slow although I wasn't.

Here I was, jobless, depending on my daughter's minimum waged salary in a printing company. I had been searching for a job for three months but nothing happens. I apply and they said they'd call back. They say I'm qualified but I am too old. Damn it, I'm starting to think I'm cursed.

I sat on a park's bench recalling the conversation my daughter had with her best friend. I didn't mean to eavesdrop.

 _Her bestfriend, Leila dropped her off and she invited my daughter, "There's this new luxurious resto uptown. Why don't we have lunch there?"_

" _It's too expensive, Leila."_

" _Ugh! It's because of your father, right? You can't keep living this way, Ana. You can't deprive yourself from the good stuff because your father is such a loser."_

" _Leila, are you crazy? You can't talk to my father that way! He is not a loser!"_

" _Oh well, suit yourself. I am going there alone and you are going to be so jealous of me."_

 _My daughter slammed the door shut at her and when she turned around and she looked so worried that I was hurt. I just gave her an apologetic smile and she hugged me._

So here I am at the moment. I am sitting on a bench with a newspaper in hand. I read it page by page and I saw an ad that brought out . . . the hope in me. Somehow, I was uplifted.

 **URGENT HIRING – GREY ENTERPRISES HOLDINGS, INC.**

 **CEO Christian Grey's Personal Assistant**

 **Male or Female**

 **Must be hardworking and patient**

 **Must be willing to work whatever hours**

 **Must be focused**

 **ANY AGE IS WELCOMED TO APPLY**

I don't who this Christian guy is but I'm in.


	2. Chapter 1

**Hey. Jacque here. Thanks for reading the last chapter. Now on to the next.**

 **Since we have three main characters here, there will be 3 POV's.**

Normal **Font for Ray, Bold for Christian, and** _Italics_ **for Ana.**

 **Chapter 1**

"Where are you going, Dad?" Ana asked me as I was about to come out of our apartment door. I wore my yellow plaid shirt and I believed that I look presentable enough for an interview.

"I am going to apply for a job," I told my daughter.

There's that hinge of fear forming in her eyes. She instantly replied, "You're going to apply for a job? But Dad, didn't I tell you that it's alright? I could take care of things. I could pay the bills. You've done enough to support me. You even worked hard to get me through college. Now it's my time to pay you back."

"I am your father, Ana and it's my responsibility to give you all that you need. It is my duty to make you feel secured and maybe even take you out on the fancy restaurant, you know, the luxurious one."

She rolled her eyes and said, "Dad, if this is about what Leila said. It was bullshit. Don't mind her, alright? She's just too spoiled all the time."

I bit my lip and looked down. It's quite disheartening how Leila's father could give her a lot of things when I couldn't even give my daughter a single penny.

"I just . . . want to do something with my life. Just let me," I gave her a sad smile when I said that.

Her expression changed from disagreement to understanding. My daughter took a deep breath before finally giving me a smile, "Okay, Dad, what are you applying for?"

"The CEO of Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc. needs a PA."

She hugged me and said, "Good luck".

"Oh little bug, you are my lucky charm," I said upon kissing her cheek.

000000000

 **"Andrea, why can't I reach Stefania's number?"**

 **Screw this shit! Things with the clients are getting hot-headed. I do not want an X-Deal. I want them to pay in this partnership. I don't let my company go finance-less. Now I need Stefania, my PA to contact these people and tell them that it's all rejected. All proposals are rejected. Either they pay me or there will be no partnership. To make things worse, Stefania isn't answering.**

 **"You fired her two days ago, remember?"**

 **I hit my table with my palm. Why did I forget firing her? Damn right, I made the good decision. I caught her having sex with her boyfriend in one of the male restrooms here. That was a serious offense.**

 **"Yeah, I fired her. She deserved it. She violated the contract."**

 **Andrea nodded briefly. She's the Human Resource Manager of GEHI. I know she hates how I fire people since that meant she'd have to find a replacement.**

 **But she quickly informed, "Boss, I have an applicant here. We've had ads and he saw one in the paper. I'll interview him and—"**

 **"No, let me do the interview." I want to take things in my own hands. I have to know my personal assistant firsthand.**

 **"I will send him in," she said before walking out of my office.**

 **In five months, I fired four personal assistants. The first one was named Courage. We called him "Cory". He was very stylish. He wore neon outfits everyday but he was very rude with one of the clients, so I had him laid off.**

 **Following him was Denise. She was a good choice, I told myself. But then she discovered she was pregnant and they've been waiting for the baby for ten years. Without hesitations, she filed a resignation letter.**

 **The next one was Tom. He was obsessed with popcorn. He would eat popcorn every day and every meal. When he won a coupon for a lifetime supply of popcorn, he decided he didn't need a job anymore.**

 **And of course, there was Stefania. I caught her having sex with her boyfriend and was I too busy that I forgot about something like that?**

 **Then, my thoughts were interrupted when an old guy enters my room. He was escorted by Andrea. I eyed him from head to toe and he reminded me of a bee. Yellow plaid? Seriously? I'd recommend he wear corporate some time.**

 **"See you later, Mr. Steele. Good luck," Andrea told him before leaving the room.**

 **"Take a seat," I told the man.**

 **When he did, I quickly asked him to introduce himself.**

 **"Good morning, Sir, I am Raymond Steele. I am already 58 years old and I am jobless so that's why I'm here," he started. I raised my brow at him. I could tell that he wasn't a confident man. He had inferiorities, but there's such a positivity about him. I could tell he was a fighter.**

 **"Nice to meet you."**

 **He smiled, "Nice to meet you too, Sir. Just call me Ray."**

 **"Alright, Ray, why do you think you're qualified for this job?"**

 **"Oh, it's because I know I'm capable. I may not have any college degree, but I assure you that I am more than just a diploma."**

 **"I like that," I smiled. Well, it's the first time somebody made me smile today.**

 **Then he smiled deeply, "I am doing this for my Anastasia. She's my little bug even when she's not little anymore. She's already twenty-two. She's my inspiration. When she grew up, she didn't have all the toys she wanted, and it sucks because I can't even give her anything she needs now so I'm doing this for her."**

 **I was silenced at that. I can't react. Although I'd find this dramatic for an applicant, there was a sincerity in his voice.**

 **He took advantage of the quietness when he said, "All my life I've had dreams that haven't been fulfilled. And though I am fifty eight now and about to be fifty nine in two months, I believe I still have that one chance in life."**

 **"One chance?"**

 **"I believe that in the ninety-nine pains you get in this life, there's that one big gain you get in the end."**

 **I smirked slowly at that. I could relate that with my business. Before GEHI became the world-renowned company it is now, I've faced tons of rejections and discouragements. Even my parents told me it was a bad idea. But this one chance I got was a chance of a lifetime. GEHI was one of the best corporations in the world.**

 **"Alright, Ray, do you know how to use the computer?"**

 **"Eh . . . about that, I don't know how to use one but I'll be glad to take a lesson from my daughter."**

 **"Honest. I like that."**

 **The old man just smiled at me.**

 **"Now, I have few important questions. Is there any chance that you'll be rude to my clients?"**

 **"Of course not!"**

 **"Any pregnant relative who's been waiting for a baby for years?"**

 **"None. It's just me and my daughter."**

 **"Is your daughter pregnant?"**

 **"Sweet heavens! No! She is not! I'd kill the boy if she is!"**

 **"Very well. Are you obsessed with popcorns?"**

 **He looked confused when he answered, "No, I'm not."**

 **"Is there any chance that you'll have sexual intercourse within the vicinities of the office?"**

 **"Oh dear heavens, no!" His voice got high when he said that and I was relaxed. He should be a different compared to the previous ones I've had.**

 **"Good," I plainly answered.**

 **Then, I looked over at him and he was astounded by the picture frames I got on top of my desk. They were pictures of the man my parents wanted me to be. A summa cum laude of Political Science, a graduate of a business course program in Harvard so I could be a better CEO, a recipient of international accolades, and an achiever all throughout my life.**

 **But then, Ray uttered the words I've never heard from my parents before.**

 **"Wow, Sir, if I were your Dad, I would be very proud of you."**

 **That turned me silent. I just looked at him as I crossed my arms. I looked down the table and felt that ache that's been bothering me for years. It was that emptiness since I was a kid.**

 **I quickly shook it off and told Ray, "You're hired. You'll start to report tomorrow. I prefer you wear corporate clothes since you are my personal assistant. Your rate is twenty-five dollars per hour. Please go to Andrea so she'll brief you."**

 **Then, there was that shock in his face. It couldn't register at first,but he literally jumped off his seat and knelt on the ground. "Oh, thank you, Sir. Oh, thank you."**

 **At the age of 58, he acted as though he never received a rate like that in his whole life. I realized I needed to find out more about his life.**

 **00000**

 **Hey. Thank you for the reads and reviews. Appreciate it. Tell me your thoughts. Thanks.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey! Jacque here. Thanks a lot for your response last chapter. Strictly, there is no BDSM in this story. Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, just the storyline.**

 **CHAPTER 2**

 **"Is that all you found out?" I asked my private investigator over the phone.**

 **"Yes, Sir."**

 **"Very well, thank you."**

 **Taylor's driving the BMW as I just finished my call with John, my private investigator. I hired him to perform a background check to Ray Steele. As I heard his story, I heaved a huge sigh.**

 **I actually couldn't believe that a person could be so unlucky. This man has been working hard all his life, yet good things happen, bad things will occur. I actually realized that he is striving to have a better life, but shit just happens.**

 **He lives with his daughter and John already sent a photo, but I'll just check it later.**

 **I honestly don't know what's going on with me. I've always been the kind of leader who imposes the Machiavelli way. I'd rather be feared than be loved. I told myself not to use emotions with my leadership but with my new personal assistant? A silent voice tells me to do whatever I can to help him.**

 **Closing my eyes, I realized that there are two types of people in the world. Those who keep on trying and gets rewards in return and those who die trying and get nothing in exchange. I am lucky to be one of the former.**

 **My eyes stared outside the car window and I saw this shop filled with executive attires. This is actually Mia's store. This is one of the reasons why she left home and hasn't spoken to our parents for three years. Our parents didn't agree with her goal to put up a shop that sells sophisticated clothing for men and women.**

 **"Taylor, pull over."**

 **I am certain that Ray doesn't have the means to buy a corporate attire, so I will buy some for him.**

 **When the BMW pulled over, I went inside the store and it was the same. Mia wasn't there since she's in Paris to de-stress. It was the same—neatly arranged, not a speck of dust, and windchime music all over the atmosphere.**

 **I went to the rack of executive coats and when I looked to the right side, I saw a dashing woman. She was holding a blue scarf with a price tag. She looks at the mirror before her and places it around her neck, as if she's imagining wearing it in a European country.**

 **She twirls and spins around but stops on her tracks when she catches me looking at her. I give her a smile and she looked down, placing the scarf back to the rack.**

 **One thing I know for sure: those were the most beautiful set of ocean eyes I've seen.**

 **0000000**

 _That was embarrassing. The handsome man just caught me daydreaming._

 _I decided to stop whatever I'm doing and maybe just leave._

 _But when I almost went out of the door, the mannequin's executive clothes caught my eye. I knew it was the right fit for my Dad. Handsome Man isn't looking at me now. The sales assistant is talking to him, so I decided to go near the mannequin._

 _I was in awe. Dad deserves this. I was beyond happy when he got hired as the CEO's PA. I'm pretty sure that he's scavenging office clothes in the thrift shop, but I just wanted to give him something more. I checked the price tag of the navy blue coat and pants with white polo underneath. I almost had a heart attack when I saw how much it cost._

 _It cost $4,500 and it's much twice more expensive than the blue dress I wanted. I shook my head and decided to go to the mall. Mia Bella Shop is too luxurious._

 _"May I help you, Ma'am?" A woman caught my attention. I turned around and she was eyeing me from head to toe._

 _"Oh, I'm leaving," I told her. The way she looked at me was condescending. I know that I don't have the best clothes out there. Well, I do dress well and I know how to style, it's just that my clothes are cheap and affordable although they don't look like one. But I'm pretty sure this sales lady can identify the price of my clothes._

 _"That's actually a good decision."_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"We don't need window shoppers in this store. One piece of advice, young lady: do not enter a store when you can't afford one. Maybe you should go to—" she eyes me from head to toe once more "—the thrift shop."_

 _My father always reminded me that we weren't rich. In fact, once he told me that we were 'poorer than rats' but it is not a reason to not be treated like a human being. I refuse to let her do this to me._

 _From my peripheral vision, I could see that Handsome Man is about to step in and defend me, but I stop him before he could do that._

 _"Yes, I should be shopping in a thrift store, because workers there? They have better manners."_

 _"Excuse me?"_

 _"Are you deaf? Maybe you should go see a doctor—to cure your deafness and to fix your attitude."_

 _With that, I stormed off the shop and stomped my way out of the door. My heart was pounding against my chest, as if almost breaking it. My skin was turning red and my anger can't be contained. Yes, I may not afford the clothes there but I am a human being who doesn't deserve to be discriminated that way._

 _"Ma'am, Ma'am, wait!" A man ran behind me and he was a worker from the shop._

 _"Is that a 'sorry' gift? I cannot accept it."_

 _"No, I bought that for you." The Handsome Man appeared from behind the salesman and he was cool. His hands were inside his coat and I could tell he was a rich businessman._

 _My voice turned small, "Oh, you didn't have to."_

 _"My sister owns the shop. I had the woman fired. She was rude. And, I saw you staring at that suit. It's the month's premium package and it's yours now."_

 _I reluctantly took the box from the salesman and upon opening it, my heart swelled with shock and joy. My father's going to love this. He needs this for tomorrow and I am more than excited to go home and show this to him._

 _"Thank you," I told him a hundred times._

 _Handsome Man took a step closer to me and this time, I got to see his eyes. They were grey, just like the storm in the Pacific. It's the cyclone everybody feared yet anticipated. His eyes were beautiful._

 _Then he took out something from his coat's pocket and I was more than shocked. It was a blue scarf. He wrapped it around my neck and I felt the slight touch of his fingers when he fixed my hair._

 _"Blue looks pretty on you," he said before taking a step back, leaving me breathless._

 **Thank you for reading. Reviews?**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey, Jacque here. I got more reviews from my previous chapter. Well, here you go.**

 **CHAPTER 3**

 _"Don't you look so dashing, Dad?"_

 _I fixed my father's new suit as we stared at the dull full-length mirror. The look on his face was priceless. He looked as though he won the lottery. Well, I couldn't really blame him. This had been the first time that he wore an expensive outfit. Just by the looks of the suit, you can see that it was bought from a luxurious tailoring shop._

 _He was amazed, "Dear, how much did you spend on this?"_

 _I smiled as I recalled Handsome Man. I buried my nose slightly to the blue scarf and told him the story. It almost felt like a situation from "What Would You Do?" hosted by John Quiñones. But then, I defended myself and upon walking out, we had a brief and romantic moment._

 _Dad just smiled and replied, "There are still good people out there."_

 _"Come on, Dad. He's a good person but it's undeniable that maybe I'm his type," I joked and that put a grimace on his face._

 _"Excuse me, Young Lady? What happened to our rule?"_

 _I rolled my eyes and reminded, "No boyfriend until the sun comes out of the night sky."_

 _That's pretty stupid. I was the one who set that agreement with Dad. I had this boyfriend when I was 19 and even in the second month of our dating, he asked me to marry him. Dad almost went crazy as he thought I was going to say yes. I found him pondering in the park and sat next to him._

 _Right then and there, I assured him that I won't marry that guy and that I won't have any boyfriend . . . not until the sun comes out of the night sky._

 _Now, Dad just gave me a silly grin and said, "It's silly, Ana. But when you find the right one, I'll let you be with him if he passes my assessment."_

 _I hugged my father and said, "Dad, love hasn't arrived yet. I guess a few years from now."_

 _But as I think of Handsome Man, I could tell that love has arrived already. Then, someone knocked on our door. I quickly shrugged that thought away. It was quite absurd._

 _"Well, let me get it. I want to someone to see my new suit!" Dad was like a kid who had a new toy._

 _When he opened the door, it was a guy from the parcel delivery._

 _"Are you Mr. Raymond Steele? This is your package."_

 _Dad and I stared at each other. We were thinking of the same thing . . . Is this real?_

000000

The package was in my hands now. My daughter and I couldn't help but be amazed. Aside from the humongous salary we agreed on, Mr. Grey just sent me a box. I couldn't believe that I get so many perks. This is the luckiest that I have been in terms of my career.

"Thank you, boy," I told the teenager who delivered the package.

"Anytime, Sir."

As soon as the door shut, my daughter teased, "Look at you now, Mr. Steele. You used to have scary people knock on your door and now, you got a delivery. I wonder why this Christian Grey is very nice to you. He seems like an unusual boss."

I wasn't happy with my daughter's joke. What she meant by those scary people are those guys I had debts to. One guy pointed a gun at us, and although unloaded, it was uncalled for. My daughter was scared. Extremely scared. Those guys were in jail and I, somehow managed to pay the debt. Yet, my daughter paid for it too. She lived with trauma and until now I couldn't forgive myself for that.

She must have noticed my change in demeanor, so she changed the topic. "Let's open it now, Dad."

I unpacked the box and we were so amazed. There was a laptop with a bitten apple as a design. I wasn't familiar. Then, there was a phone. And most of all, we got a gift certificate from Mia Bella. It said that I could get a lifetime supply of clothes. I couldn't believe it. Neither can Ana.

We were beyond shocked. But then, the phone rang.

"Click the green. Click the green!" She told me. Well, I had been using keypad phones my whole life, so this was so new to me.

"Hello? Good evening."

"Ugh! Is this his PA's number? Are you his new PA?"

I was enthusiastic, "Yes, Ma'am, Raymond Steele, at your service."

"I DON'T CARE! Give the phone to Christian! He hasn't called me in a week."

Ana took the phone and put it in loud speaker. The woman continued ranting about having a "magical" night with him and waking up alone the next day. Christian gave this number to her and I guess I'll be the one to deal with his tragic love affairs?

"Oh, I'm sorry, Ma'am but—"

"Goodbye."

I was unimpressed. Ana then took the phone and we were able to find out that this is the PA's phone. There were messages of at least twenty women who were frustrated.

"Look, Dad, I like your boss. He's so generous and thoughtful of you, but as a guy, he's definitely a dick." Ana hated playboys and so did I.

There were messages poor ladies sent and I couldn't help but shake my head.

 **Message 1: It was fancy meeting you in Vegas. Let's see each other again and maybe . . . be official?**

 **Message 2: Is that it? Am I just a one-night stand for you? Pathetic! Pathetic! YOU ARE pathetic.**

 **Message 3: I guess it's true then, huh? When we ask for your number, you give the PA's? You're such a user. But yeah, I'd like to do it again though. You're very good.**

One thing went inside my head after reading the messages: I wouldn't want my daughter to date a man like him.

 **Thank you for reading. Update is short today. Just stay tuned. A new chapter is coming up in a few days.**

 **What do you think?**


	5. Chapter 4

**Hey! Jacque here. Thanks a lot for reading.**

 **Chapter 4**

It's my first day of work and I couldn't be happier. Among all the years I've tried to make something of myself, this is the first time I've truly felt the opportunity. Everyone was very formal and the place itself was giving me the office-vibe.

Andrea introduced me to my table and it's just outside the door of my boss' office room. Well, he has two doors. Door one leads to the lounge and coffee. It's like the waiting area. That's where my desk is. Then there's door two which opens to his desk.

I sat down and started my job. He sent me a text message saying that I need to do some thank you e-mails for his clients. Well, my daughter taught me last night and I understood well.

I could easily grasp the thought and I could comprehend well. I am more that determined to make this job a great one. Heck, I wanted to be employee of the year.

Then, Christian Grey entered the door and his bodyguard, Taylor was with him. He was a decade younger than I am, but we get along quite easily.

"Good morning, Sir!" I greeted him with my cheerful first-day attitude.

He looked at me and asked, "Good morning, Ray. Have you e-mailed the clients?"

"I am on it, Sir," I replied and then proceeded to send some e-mails. I wanted him to see with his naked eye that I was really doing a great job.

"That's all you are going to do the whole day. We have approximately twenty thousand clients since we're operating internationally. Please be sure to send them a reply once they respond. It's your job to keep the camaraderie steady. Remember, you are my personal assistant so wherever I go, you will go with me. You will meet these clients too."

I was more than shocked. I'm going to send that many e-mails just for today? I gulped but quickly changed my attitude. If I want to keep my job, then I shouldn't complain or even capture some negative vibes.

"On it, Sir," that's all I said. I was determined.

I started typing and I even bit my lip to concentrate. It's difficult because the keyboard doesn't follow the alphabetical order. I complained about that, and Ana just laughed at it. This made things difficult. Why would someone put A next to S? This was making my life extremely difficult.

Then, I noticed that Christian hasn't left yet. He was standing in front of me and gazing intensely at my typing fingers.

"Anything wrong, Sir?"

"No, it's just bizarre. You type . . . _weirdly_. It's like you want to say: 'fuck you'."

I stared at my hands and it really was true. Both my middle fingers were clicking the letters. I just gave my boss a very awkward laugh and he gave me a thin smile.

He proceeded to his office and I was left typing like my life's depending on it.

After thirty minutes, I sent one e-mail successfully.

One down, nineteen thousand nine hundred ninety-nine to go!

0000

 **At around two in the afternoon, I received a video call from Ray. This was weird. Why would he want a video call? We could just simply call. But then, he wasn't tech savvy. He was typing two letters per minute. I feel bad for the old man, but I couldn't bring myself to be impatient. He's really trying hard to keep up with technology.**

 **I accepted the video call and all I could see were his ears. I sighed at that. He must have thought that the button with the camcorder symbol was just for normal calls.**

 **Well, at least his ears were clean.**

 **"Hello Sir? You have a visitor here."**

 **"Well, if it's a girl. Tell them that I don't know them, and they should leave. I am very busy."**

 **Admittedly, the struggles of my PA include kicking women out of my office.**

 **As a businessman, I'm always stressed. There are always times when things are getting overwhelming. I am running an empire and people's livelihood depend on my company. That's the weight I carry in my shoulders every day. I needed to release my stress, so I go to night clubs every Monday, and there I find a lover.**

 **We would have a wild night together and I'd leave in the morning. I give my PA's number when they ask. There were some girls who'd expect more while there were some who thinks like me: practical and detached.**

 **The worst thing that could happen is for a woman to come here. It happened three times. They claimed they wanted to see me again and make things 'official'. My PA is faced the challenge to make them leave.**

 **You could call me a playboy and all, but I'm feeling . . . empty.**

 **But when I thought of those girls, I thought of the beautiful girl I saw from Mia's shop. Her eyes were so blue and deep, I just wanted to swim into her soul. I knew I wanted her. I want her . . . and I'm going to have her.**

 **I heard Ray answer uncomfortably, "It's not a woman, Sir. It's your brother, Elliott Grey."**

 **"Usher him in," I ordered.**

 **I don't have many friends, but Elliott has always been there for me. In fact, he's the golden boy. Whilst Mia and I were rebellious and not planning to be a lawyer or a doctor, Elliott was the obedient child. He's a doctor. In fact, he's the chief doctor of the family hospital now.**

 **Yes, he made my parents happy. Yes, he's good at it. Yes, he's doing a great job. But no, he's not happy.**

 **It was evident when he entered my office with Ray. He was in a normal blue shirt and his blonde hair was disheveled. He hasn't slept for days. He looked tired. No. He looked exhausted and lonely. I knew something was wrong.**

 **Before I could ask him, my eyes darted to Ray, and my jaw just reached the floor. What was going on? I noticed what he was wearing. It was the premium suit I bought for the beautiful girl.**

 **"Ray, where did you buy that suit?"**

 **"Oh, a Good Samaritan bought it for my daughter. And by the way Sir, thank you for the gift certificate. If it weren't for you, I would be wearing an old shirt today," he was laughing but I was still dazed. I couldn't believe this.**

 **I checked my email and saw the face of his daughter.**

 **Fuck! It was her.**

 **Anastasia Rose Steele.**

 **She's my PA's daughter.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Hey! Jacque here. Thanks a lot for the reviews that you've given. You reading this story alone gives me inspiration.**

 **CHAPTER 5**

 _The club isn't my scene. I don't even know what I'm doing here. My colleagues and I agreed to have a good time, but this wasn't my definition of good time._

 _"Why are you frowning, Ana? What's wrong?" Leila asked me._

 _After insulting my father, she asked for my forgiveness a hundred times. When I forgave her, we went back to normal. She zipped her mouth when I told her that Dad is the official PA of Christian Grey. Now, she treated Dad like he's the real deal. I just shook my head. I didn't know what Christian Grey looked like but I'm pretty sure that he's an old man with a bank account that could last forever. Maybe that's why Leila's head over heels in love with him._

 _"Leila, can we go somewhere else? I am not comfortable here."_

 _I glanced at our colleagues and they were already baring their souls in the dance floor. I swore I never thought I'd see them dance this way._

 _"Are you crazy? You are no fun!"_

 _"No, Leila, it's just—"_

 _Then, she stole my blue scarf away from me. I wore a black dress, stockings, and boots. The blue scarf was the perfect accent. I was angry when she stole it away from me and wrapped it around her neck._

 _"Leila, give that back to me!"_

 _"Oh no, Sweetie. This scarf is mine until you drink this glass of vodka."_

 _I glared at her and I knew she wouldn't give that back to me unless I did what she asked me to. After another frustrated attempt of getting my scarf back, I took a glass of vodka._

 _Disgusting! Ugh! The taste was gross._

 _"Now give me back my scarf," I told her._

 _"No, drink more."_

 _With that, I drank more and more and more._

0000

 **I brought Elliott to the club and he's never been this drunk. As a doctor, he was health conscious. He'd talk about how alcohol can damage the liver. But now? He was far from the Elliott I know.**

 **Elliott always wanted to be a medical doctor. He wanted to be one because of our parents and of course, it's his passion. When he was in med school, there was this girl who fell in love with him. Kate Kavanaugh was an aspiring journalist when they were "together". He treated her like a girlfriend but no, she was never his girlfriend as he refused to make things official.**

 **When he finished med school, he was the top-billed doctor, and he just forgot about her. His focus was on his dream.**

 **Kate, on the other hand, tried to save their "relationship", but it was clear Elliott wanted his ambitions more. Now Kate's an editor-in-chief of a women's magazine and she's marrying a French guy. So, Elliott's drowning himself in alcohol.**

 **I told him, "I hate to break this to you, bro but it's your fault."**

 **Elliott stayed silent.**

 **"You thought you were chasing gold, but you already had gold."**

 **He snorted, "Who are you to tell me that? Have you ever loved someone?"**

 **I shook my head and argued, "But if I ever did love someone, I will choose my dreams and I will choose her too."**

 **He laughed bitterly at me and said, "Bro? Knowing you, you're not capable to fall in love." He called the waiter's attention and shouted, "Another shot, please!"**

 **I was silent after that. At the age of 28, people expect me to settle down or at least have a stable relationship. I've had serious relationships before, but they just don't work out. I would fall out of love. Whenever somebody gives me an assurance, I would get bored. I'd like excitement. I don't like making things serious. Of course, I feel bad for the women who thought we were getting serious, but that's just me.**

 **Then, I thought about Anastasia and somehow it brought disappointment in me. I wanted her. I wanted to have her, but I had to set a line. He's my PA's daughter. I respect Ray, so I wouldn't touch Anastasia. I sighed and asked the waiter for another shot too.**

 **After taking another shot of whiskey, I noticed a woman passing by. She was wearing the same blue scarf I bought for Ana, but she wasn't Ana. I stood up and looked around. In the middle of the dance floor was my beautiful girl dancing like she's completely wasted.**

 **"Be right back, Bro," I told him before heading to the dance floor. During the background check, Anastasia showed a good girl image. These places aren't for her. Now she was shaking, sweaty, hair messy, and she reeked of vodka.**

 **The dance floor was packed, and I almost went mad when a stranger attempted to hold both sides of her waist. I quickly pushed the guy and pulled Anastasia towards me.**

 **"Fuck off!" The guy screamed before backing away.**

 **Then, she was holding on to me. There wasn't a space between us. She wrapped her arms around me and I've never felt this sudden jolt of electricity.**

 **Our eyes gazed at each other and she gasped, "Handsome Man!"**

 **Handsome Man? I smirked at that.**

 **"You are here! My prince, you are here!" Although her words slurred, I thought she sounded innocent. Despite the booming party music, all I could hear was her angelic voice.**

 **"Let's get out of here," I whispered to her.**

 **She laughed like crazy and replied, "You're going to take me to the castle and take off my gown and . . ."**

 **"And?"**

 **She just laughed, and I laughed too.**

 **"Come on," I said before leading her out of the way. Her beauty doesn't fit this type of scene. I didn't even know what she's doing here. Along the way, we bumped into the woman who wore the blue scarf.**

 **"My scarf!" Ana pointed out with a pout.**

 **This was her scarf? That enraged me. How dare this woman wear the scarf I gave to Anastasia?**

 **Then, the woman recognized me, and she almost screamed. I didn't care if she's my biggest fan. I didn't care at all. I harshly stole the scarf away from her and wrapped it around Ana's neck.**

 **"Miss, you have to remember this: a true stylish woman doesn't know how to steal."**

 **She looked incredibly humiliated.**

 **I grabbed Ana by the hand and pulled her out of the club. She was sticking her tongue out at the woman and screamed that she's a loser.**

 **When we're out of the club, it was the eleven o'clock vibe of Seattle at this side of the city. There aren't many cars around and there aren't people too.**

 **Ana smelled the blue scarf sweetly and said, "I must be dreaming!"**

 **"You are not dreaming," I replied.**

 **She smiled sheepishly, "You are here with me, so I am dreaming. My Handsome Man is right next to me."**

 **She wrapped her arms around mine and smelled my neck.**

 **"Yuck! You smell like whiskey!"**

 **"So, I am not handsome anymore because I smell like whiskey?"**

 **She smiled shyly and shook her head like a kid.**

 **"You are so handsome. No, not just handsome! You are sexy!"**

 **"Sexy, huh?" I can't help but laugh. Why did she seem so innocent when she's drunk?**

 **"Yeah, I want to jump on you like a tiger! Roar!" She tried to open the buttons of my shirt, and I quickly stopped her. She's gorgeous and her body's hard to resist, but I made a promise to myself to not touch her or ever make any attempt to hurt her. I respect my employee and it doesn't show respect if I bed her daughter.**

 **"You are so sexy," she whispered to me in a seductive voice. I almost went hard, and I wanted to pull her to me and just kiss the life out of her and take her home. But, things went crazy when she took a step back and ran. I followed after her.**

 **Good riddance, she's in the middle of the road! The traffic lights were green, for heavens' sake!**

 **"What the fuck are you doing?!"**

 **"I am dancing for you."**

 **In the middle of the road, Anastasia Steele danced for me. She sang "I'm Too Sexy for My Shirt" while shaking her body. I could tell she wasn't a dancer, but she's trying. Instead of getting mad, I just laughed and made sure that there weren't cars coming from both sides of the road. She was shaking her butt, and no, it wasn't graceful. It was comedic.**

 **I didn't know what came over me, but when the lights went red and a hundred seconds were flashed by the red lights, I joined her right at that spot.**

 **"That is not the right way to dance," I told her. I placed her right hand on my shoulder and I placed mine on her waist. Our free hands were locked together, and we danced in the middle of the road.**

 **"What are you doing? We might get hit by a car," she told me.**

 **I laughed at the irony.**

 **"We have a hundred seconds," I told her before kissing her forehead. It was out of nowhere. It felt like the most natural thing to do.**

 **I led our dance and she followed along. Right in the middle of the street, we didn't care. We have a hundred seconds and it was more than enough for me. I spun her around and made her twirl. She giggled from time to time. Then, when her body pressed closer to me, our lips almost touched.**

 **I leaned closer, but we were brought to our right minds when a car honked. I quickly took her hand and led her to the sidewalk.**

 **We laughed together and upon gazing at her angelic drunken state, I realized Elliott was wrong—I was capable of falling in love.**


	7. Chapter 6

**Hey there! Jacque here. Thank you for reading my story. Now off we go.**

 **CHAPTER 6**

 _Am I sleeping on a cloud? That's the first thing that came to my mind. I yawned, and my eyes were still half-closed. I really wanted to go back to sleep, but my head's pounding in ache. Was I drunk last night? Oh no._

 _Then, that's when I woke up. I got up from the bed and looked around. Oh, my goodness! Where am I? I've never been the type to be clueless of where I was going. And, I was more than alarmed when I noticed that I was wearing a bigger shirt. It's owned by a man._

 _I closed my eyes and cussed. Why did I agree to Leila? I should've just left. But then again, I couldn't leave the scarf._

 _"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty." Oh, dear heavens!_

 _Handsome man stood in front of me. He had loose pajamas on and he didn't have a shirt. I stared at his well-toned abdomen, and I couldn't help but salivate. Oh damn, he's so hot. He brought a mug with him and sat right next to me on the bed._

 _Was this real?_

 _Oh, well, there's only one way to test it._

 _My hand reached out to touch his abs and they're rock hard. I couldn't breathe, and neither could he. His hand reached out to hold mine, but he guided me in caressing his body. We stopped when I touched his chiseled chest._

 _"Coffee for your hungover," he said before placing it on the bedside table._

 _Then he slowly leaned towards me and I pulled away, feeling tensed about his actions. He leaned forward and forward, while I did backward and backward until the back of my head felt the pillow. He was striding me, his arms trapping me in between. I swore I thought he would kiss me, but he didn't. Instead, he fetched his phone which was placed by the bed post._

 _"Grey," he snapped._

 _I was startled when he sat down, and it appeared like he was panicking._

 _"What? You're here? Inside my apartment?"_

 _I was confused. I just sat down and drank coffee so I could help myself with his hungover._

 _"Do not leave there, okay? Just stay there."_

 _Handsome Man turned his phone off and told me, "Listen, my PA's outside. Don't come out, okay? Just don't come out."_

 _I nodded dumbly._

 _He went out of the room and I was stunned. How did I end up in Handsome Man's place? I mean, uhm . . . did we have sex? I gulped at that. Yes, there was sexual tension between us, and I wanted to do him, but I wanted my first time to be with someone special. I tried to move my legs and they don't hurt. I didn't feel sore._

 _I sighed in relief._

 _Then, all of a sudden, the flashback played inside my head. Last night, Leila stole my scarf away from me, which prompted me to drink a lot. Then, Handsome Man saved me, and…I danced in front of him. And, we danced together in the street. My heart swelled at that memory._

 _Then, my eyes went wide when I realized what I did afterwards. After the honking of the car, he led me back to the sidewalk and oh damn! I wanted to melt now. I pulled him close and grabbed his dick and said, "You're big" before passing out._

 _I sighed at that._

 _"ANA, DAMN YOU!" I cursed myself._

 _I ignored what he instructed. I got up from the bed and marched outside. Of course, I needed to apologize. I didn't want him to think that I was a sex-crazed woman or a pervert. I wanted to clarify that it's not my hobby to grab penises._

 _But I stopped on my tracks when I saw who he was talking to. I saw Handsome Man face-to-face with my father. Dad couldn't see me as I was standing behind him, but Christian could clearly see me, and he panicked. His head bobbed up and down and his eyes moved, signaling me to come back to his room._

 _I couldn't move though._

 _I was stunned._

 _Handsome Man wasn't just a normal guy._

 _Handsome Man was my father's boss._

 _He was Christian Grey._

 _I gasped at the realization. He was a manwhore!_

 _"What seems to be the problem, Sir?" Dad tried to look back but Christian stopped him._

 _"No, nothing, Ray! Nothing!"_

 _I ran back to the room, but it was already locked. I accidentally locked it! I was panicking. I didn't know where to hide._

 _"Oh, there must be something," Dad attempted to look at my direction._

 _"Ray, there isn't," Christian said using his hands to turn his head._

 _I finally got to the middle of the room where the couch was, and I hid behind it._

 _"No, there must be," This time I only didn't picture Dad trying to look around but he was walking around. I could hear his footsteps coming nearer and nearer, but then I heard Christian sob._

 _Huh? What?_

 _I peeked a little and saw that he was hugging my father while fake sobbing._

 _"What's wrong, Sir?" Dad felt uncomfortable about their hug. Hesitantly, he patted Christian Grey's back and comforted, "I am . . . sorry. I don't know why you are crying, but I am checking around. There might be a burglar."_

 _If there's one thing Dad's good at, it's the art of self-defense._

 _"No, you just heard a ghost," Christian lied smoothly._

 _"A ghost?"_

 _"Yes, Cookie's ghost. He was my dog. He died a martyr," Christian coughed, and I couldn't stop it. I laughed too. I let out a chuckle before putting my hands on my mouth._

 _"What was that?" Dad was confused and petrified. He was buying Christian's story._

 _"That was Cookie!"_

 _I decided to help him. I barked once, and I could tell from Dad's stance that he was mortified. Yes, Dad's skilled in battle but he was scared of ghosts._

 _He pushed Christian Grey away and cleared his throat, "Oh uhm . . . I think I need to leave. But yes, I took note of the sponsorship agreements, Sir. Apologies again for coming this early in your apartment. You just needed to sign it right away."_

 _"No worries, Ray. Just go, okay? Cookie doesn't like visitors."_

 _"Yeah," Dad sounded frightened. He stepped away and went out of the apartment._

 _I got up from the floor and Christian and I mirrored the same sigh of relief._

 _"You're Christian Grey?"_

 _"Yes," he confirmed._

 _He looked at me as though he never wanted me to know that. He gave me a smile and I almost believed that what we had was special. But then again, I was just one of the girls he'd give his PA's number to._

 _"I am leaving," I declared._

 _"No, grab breakfast first and—"_

 _I shook my head, "I need to go."_

 _"I cooked some pancakes and—"_

 _"I'm leaving!" I snapped venomously._

 _He sighed and let me leave._

 _We didn't even start, but we already ended._


	8. Chapter 7

**Hey! Jacque here! I've always had crazy thoughts. It's pretty nice how you laugh at the funny situations the characters are in. Thank you so much!**

 **CHAPTER 7**

"Daddy, I want chocolate," Ana pointed at the window of the bakery. There was this chocolate cupcake and her eyes glimmered when she saw that. I could almost see her mouth-watering from the sight itself. She's only eight years old, and chocolates are a big deal.

I checked my pocket and found a few nickels. These few dimes will be for our food and other needs. My heart clenched at the thought that I couldn't give her a simple chocolate flavored cupcake.

"I'm sorry, my little girl, but Daddy has no money."

She looked sad, but she held my hand tighter and said, "When you have money, you'll buy me one, Daddy?"

I sat down this time to level her innocent gaze. I kissed her forehead and promised, "You'll get all the chocolate cupcakes you want when Daddy finally has his money. I guarantee you that."

She held on to that promise and wrapped her small arms around my neck.

"I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, Sweetie." She didn't see, but teardrops threatened. I wanted to give her the world, but the world rejected me from the moment I was born.

000

I woke up from a dream or a memory rather. My heart clenched at that pain of not being able to give her what she wanted. That day haunted me even up to now.

My phone was ringing, and I answered it sleepily, "Hello?"

"Ray, I am really sorry to bother you this late, but can you please pick my brother up from the club. I'll text you the address. I cannot attend to him because I'm dealing with . . . something here."

There was an oddity in his voice. Did I want to sleep? Yes. But did I want to lose my job? No.

"I'll be there, Sir. I'm going to pick up Sir Elliott from the club."

"Thanks. Appreciate it. This is paid."

With that, I had all the energy to get up and change into my corporate attire. I checked myself in the mirror and I looked fine enough. It's already one in the morning, and Ana's not around. A part of me wanted to ask where she went and fetch her, but I decided that my daughter must be having a good time. It's time she takes a relaxing night too. I trust her, and I know she isn't won't do anything stupid.

Aside from the corporate wear, Christian also provided me with a Mercedes Benz car. He said I needed it for emergency. Well, tonight's emergency.

I worked as a driver before, and I was good at it. It felt like heaven to drive this vehicle. From a truck to a luxurious automobile, I consider myself blessed.

Christian texted me the address and I went to the location using the GPS. The first time the female voice spoke, I almost had a heart attack. I thought it was a ghost. I ran out of the car and reported to Andrea that a ghost was inside the Mercedes Benz. She laughed and introduced me to GPS.

I was glad that Andrea just laughed it off.

I finally reached the club and when I got there, Sir Elliott was already being kicked out by the bouncers. I immediately ran to his aid.

"Sir, are you with this guy? He was throwing stuff! You must be grateful that we didn't call the police!" The bouncer complained, and I apologized over and over before taking the very wasted Elliott from him.

I placed him at the backseat of the car and checked Christian's text message once more. He sent me Elliott's number, so I used Ms. GPS to guide me to our destination. I have to admit: her voice is sexy.

Looking from the mirror, Elliott was lying down and mumbling the name "Kate" over and over again. The way I look at it, he was heartbroken. He was filled with regrets.

When we reached his home, I was beyond astounded. It was packed with security checks, and the architecture was very modern. It was a glass castle, if I were asked to describe it. It had three floors, and my jaw reached the underground. Then again, I realized that he's all alone, and no one's with him. I'd rather not live in this glamorous place if it would cost me the people I love.

I guided Elliott who was slurring words at me now, "What are you doing here? Why you do this, huh? I'm better off dead! You should've left me to die."

I know better than to talk to a drunk guy. I let him rest on his enamel white colored couch and there he picked his phone up from his pocket and dialed a number.

"Hello?" A woman answered. She was surprisingly awake at this time of night.

"Don't marry him, Kate. Don't marry him!" He was very repetitive. I stayed still because he was actually sobbing. Tears streamed from his face and he was far from the man I met earlier. From the composed man, he transformed into a sad, lonely, and heartbroken person. Maybe this was truly who he was.

From the other end of the line, I can hear the woman breathe. It was as if she's crying too, only silently.

"I am begging you, Kate. Do not marry him. Do not marry him!" He shouted and threw his phone away. It was cracked and not functioning anymore.

Instead of running to the phone, I sat by Elliott's head instead. If he were my son, I would drink with him. Now I knew that he needed someone to be with him. I patted him on the shoulder.

"If you were my Dad, you'd be happy I'm like this, huh? 'Elliott, why are you crying? You have everything. That's just a woman!', 'Elliott, stop crying. There is no reason to cry!', 'Elliott, you weakling, real men don't cry'."

I hushed him as if he were my son, "Elliott, it's okay to cry. I could tell that this woman means everything to you. You are not a weakling. You are in pain, so just cry."

With that, he held on to me like a little boy and kept screaming that Kate must never marry someone else. I stayed until he fell asleep. I took care of his broken phone on the floor and even left him medicine for his hungover tomorrow.

I left realizing that I am luckier than these rich people.

000

Ana and I hooked arms when we strolled the streets. I got money from work now, and it was a great time "chilling" with her, as she would call it.

I told her all about Elliott and how he got drunk because of a woman named Kate. She listened absentmindedly, and it got me worried.

"Is something the matter, dear?"

She shook her head and told me to go on with my talk.

"Another thing is that I went to Christian Grey's apartment! You should've seen the apartment! It was like a museum. I'll bring you there, next time. Although I got to warn you, it's haunted. Ana, I heard it! I heard the ghost of his dog bark. Dear, if I were Christian, I'd leave his apartment because it's scary. His dog, Cookie is haunting the place. Can you believe it?"

She gave me a rather forceful smile.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, Dad. Uhm . . . a random thought came into my mind. What do you say about me dating Christian Grey? Leila's got a huge crush on him so . . . we kind of talked about it."

"Young Lady, stay away from that Leila. She cannot bring you to dangerous boys."

"Dangerous boys?"

"Yes! Christian Grey is a dangerous man! Dear, if you date this person, you would be the loser. He'll treat you like nothing after he's done with you! Oh dear, stay away from him. Yes, he's my boss and he's a generous and kind superior, but as a lover? He's a leaver!"

"He is?"

"Ana, don't even think about it coming near him that way. Tell your fake friend to stay away from him too. He's very dangerous. He's the type of guy who'll get you pregnant in a one-night stand and won't support you when your baby grows up."

She smiled at me, "Okay, Dad."

"Enough about that. Christian with my baby girl? I'm not going to let that happen. Over my dead body!"

This time, my daughter laughed, and I told her to stay where she was. I quickly went inside the store and bought the one thing I wanted my daughter to have.

When I came out of the bakery, I gave the chocolate cupcake to Ana and she stared at me incredulously.

"Dad? You remembered?"

"Yes, Sweetheart. Daddy keeps his promises." No matter how long it's going to take.


	9. Chapter 8

**Hey! Jacque here. I am very happy that you find my story to be light yet heartwarming. I also received some criticisms, but that doesn't stop me from writing. Thank you so much, my dear readers for making me feel happy to upload what I've written.**

 **CHAPTER 8**

 _Tonight, Dad was feeling so tired. I guess being Christian Grey's personal assistant takes a lot of work. He's snoring soundly on the couch, while I sat down our wooden chair drinking coffee._

 _As the fragrance of the caffeine beautifully intoxicated my sense of smell, I thought about Christian. The way his eyes gazed into my soul when I woke up to his bed that morning. I thought of nothing but kissing those luscious lips of his._

 _But I guess that's what made me more . . . addicted to him. He had the advantage of me. I was drunk. I didn't have control. I couldn't think clearly. Yet, he never touched me. In fact, I was the one being aggressive. His respect towards me made me thought of him more often than I should._

 _Then I looked at my Dad and realized that I shouldn't be a fool. Christian Grey is a playboy, and there's nothing I can do to change that._

 _My phone vibrated, and an unregistered number appeared on the screen. I quickly answered it, thinking that it might be important._

 _"Hello?"_

 _"Hi Anastasia," the familiar velvety voice breathed._

 _"Christian?"_

 _"Yes, it's me," I could hear his smile._

 _My heart thudded loudly, and it was as if it could come out of my chest at any instant. I tried to contain it though, and I asked, "Uhm . . . what can I do for you?"_

 _"I can't stop thinking of you."_

 _I was silent. My hands were cold, and my nerves were shaking. My heart was beating fast. It was the unfamiliar adrenaline of being wrapped around the thought of falling in love._

 _He continued, "I spent the entire day thinking about you—your face, your voice, and your cuteness when you're drunk." We both laughed at that. Then, he uttered, "That's it, Anastasia, I can't stop thinking about you."_

 _I smiled at that, but then just one glance at my Dad then all the doubts came back. I shook my head and replied, "I know what you're doing, Mr. Grey. This is what you say to all the girls before you bed them and leave them. I can't be one of those girls."_

 _He was taken aback, "Mr. Grey?"_

 _"You are my father's boss, and that's all you are ever going to be for me."_

 _There's a moment of silence that followed after._

 _He sighed, "Anastasia, I know you've heard the stories about me, but I know you will give the real me a chance. I swear to you, I am more than my reputation."_

 _I didn't say anything._

 _"Just know that whatever you may be thinking about me—good or bad—I'll always think about you. Goodnight, Ana." With that, he ended the call, and I was left confused if I really did the right thing, by pushing him away._

 _000_

 _Work was really hectic since our top client came over. I am employed in a printing company and one of our biggest client is Modelbound Magazine. It's a fashion magazine, and without them, I am not sure if the company will stay firm. They are here to check our office._

 _I am an Assistant Head of the Operations Department. The guys who facilitate the printing of the machine. They come to me when they have problems. If the machine isn't operating well, then I'd be the mediator to the mechanics for fixing._

 _My job's good, but it doesn't pay much. And, I couldn't consider my job a career. I want to be a stylist, but that opportunity doesn't just knock every day. You only get it once in a lifetime, and in my case, none._

 _I sat before my old computer and since there wasn't anything to do, and I'm not the one welcoming the Modelbound Staff around, I decided to do some research._

 _I typed Christian's name and I winced upon reading the headlines._

' _ **HE BROKE MY HEART', - MODEL, MATILDA BLUE ABOUT CHRISTIAN GREY**_

 _ **POP SINGER BELLA CREEK CONFIRMS THAT THE SAD SONG IN HER ALBUM IS ABOUT CEO CHRISTIAN GREY**_

 _ **CHRISTIAN GREY CAUGHT KISSING CANADIAN DESIGNER**_

 _ **A HEARTBREAKER: CHRISTIAN GREY'S LONG LIST OF EX-LOVERS**_

 _ **28-YEAR OLD CEO CHRISTIAN GREY: "I HAVE NO TIME FOR LOVE"**_

 _ **CHRISTIAN GREY CONFIRMS DATING A CACTUS PLANT IS JUST A RUMOR**_

" _I have something to tell you," a soft yet strong voice told me from behind. I was beyond startled. I immediately shut the computer off. The woman smiled and sat on my desk._

 _She's gorgeous. She's almost a replica of Blake Lively. Her fashion style was elegant. She wore a cream-colored suit with pastel pink beneath. She wore creamy heels as well. Her hair was perfectly wavy, and she's beyond gorgeous._

" _Uhm . . . Hi Ma'am. H-how can I help?" This felt so embarrassing. She just caught me googling Christian Grey._

" _I have to tell you this: when you like someone, you like them for them, and you don't care about their reputation. Yes, you heard stories, and you read from gossip articles but tell you what, gossip articles are not really that credible."_

" _Oh, Ma'am, it's—"_

" _Don't deny it. You obviously like him."_

" _Yeah, I do," I admitted._

" _I know Christian Grey personally and yes, he's a huge player, but I believe that he can change."_

" _You know him?"_

 _She seemed more relaxed now upon telling me, "I've known him for so long. In the darkest moments of my life, when the love of my life left—" her voice faltered and stumbled even "- he was there for me. That's when I realized that if he could be the greatest best friend a girl can ask for, then he could be the greatest boyfriend too. I've seen his heart and I know you've seen it too. He's told me about you, and that's more than enough for me to tell that his play days are over."_

" _He's told you about me?"_

" _Yes, since the moment he bought you the blue scarf."_

 _My eyes went wide. Who's this woman?_

" _Who are you?" I asked directly._

" _I am Katherine Kavanaugh, you can call me 'Kate' for short. I'm Christian's best friend and Modelbound's editor-in-chief. It's a small world, Anastasia. Who knew? Our companies have been partners for so long."_

 _We shook hands, and I was speechless._

 _Before she left my desk, she said, "Remember this Ana: Christian Grey is more than just his reputation._


	10. Chapter 9

**Hey! Jacque here. I am having a toxic week at work, but I am so grateful to find time to publish the new chapter. And here you go.**

 **Chapter 9**

 **"Sir, you have a visitor," Ray informed.**

 **My back was arching excessively due to the many works I needed to do. But actually, I could assign someone else to do them. I just needed to take my mind off of Anastasia. I tried calling her many times and sending messages, but it appeared that she's really affected of my reputation and the fact that I'm her father's boss.**

 **"Who is it?"**

 **"It's Katherine Kavanaugh," he told me and that made me smile.**

 **"Let Kate come in," I told him.**

 **"Kate? That girl is Kate?" He was astounded.**

 **"Yes. Why? What's the matter Ray?"**

 **"Nothing, Sir," he said before coming out to usher my best friend in. I was confused too because Ray was staring right through her. It looked as though he was assessing her. His eyes lingered on the diamond ring in her third finger and I got the feeling that he knew about her and Elliott.**

 **"You can leave us, Ray," I said.**

 **"Oh uhm, sorry," he replied before leaving my office.**

 **As soon as the door was shut, Kate screamed, "Oh mother of all holiness! I need a break from work!" She lied down my couch. No, she sprawled. Her arms were above her head and her legs open lazily. I just rolled my eyes at her. She acted as though my office is a bedroom.**

 **"So that's the father of your lover?" She said too loudly, and I hissed at her.**

 **"Kate, you fucker!"**

 **"What? We're soundproof here! YOUR ASSISTANT IS THE FATHER OF YOUR LOVER!" She screamed and laughed loudly. I panicked. I immediately stood up, ran to the door, opened it, and Ray was staring at me as I was out of breath.**

 **"Is something wrong, Sir?" Ray asked as he was seated with poise on his chair.**

 **"Did you hear something?"**

 **"Uh no, Sir."**

 **"Okay," I smiled before shutting the door again. I glared at Kate who was now seated at my office chair. If she weren't my best friend and I'm not used to her craziness, I would have called the security to throw her out of my building.**

 **She laughed, "Christian, you really like her, don't you? You just forgot that your office is soundproof. No one can hear from outside, you know."**

 **"Yes, I do," I admit. She's the only person I can talk to this way.**

 **"I met Ana yesterday and guess what? She Googled you! Ha! I guess the feeling's mutual but she's just denying it," she told me.**

 **"I know," I said sadly as I sat on the couch.**

 **I sat there quietly as I thought of what she might found when she Googled me. I grimaced at that. She's going to see the headlines. Most of them weren't true and if they were, I hope she knew that these don't define who I am.**

 **Then, I felt Kate turn serious. She stood up from my chair to sit beside me. She rested her cheek against my shoulder when she replied, "There you are again, Christian. You're worrying of the rumors and stories she read? I'll tell you this: you don't have to be. When a person knows about your reputation and still wants to be with you, that's when you know the love is real."**

 **I smiled at that. I pinched her cheek and she got mad.**

 **"Christian! Stop!"**

 **I stopped pinching her cheeks and realized I am so glad to have her around. I am glad that I have my best friend back. She's been my best friend since Sophomore year. When we turned twenty, she hid her relationship with Elliott from me. I accepted it though when I knew but when he left her, she wasn't the same. She's my little happy pill, but when Elliott left, it was like the whole world crashed down.**

 **"What are you thinking about?"**

 **"Nothing," I replied. But what I was thinking about was that I'm glad to have my best friend back.**

 **She shook her head and rested her head against my shoulder once more. She was twisting her engagement ring when she said softly, "Once you find the love of your life, go after her. When she rejects you, at least you could say you did everything you could."**

 **OOO**

 **Kate left before lunch and Ray couldn't stop staring at her.**

 **"Is something wrong with Kate, Ray?" I asked him this time.**

 **"Uhm, no, Sir but . . . it just bothers me. Are you dating the ex-girlfriend of your brother?"**

 **That took me off-guard. He must have sensed that I didn't like his question.**

 **"I don't mean to offend you, Sir. I know those are the questions I shouldn't ask my boss, but I care for your brother, Sir. My heart was filled with sympathy when he broke down over Kate."**

 **"Look, Ray, I appreciate your concern, but Kate's engaged. We certainly aren't dating. She's been my best friend long before Elliott broke her heart." Oh Ray, if you only knew, the person I want to date is your daughter.**

 **He breathed out a sigh of relief and said, "Oh thank goodness, Sir! I thought you were doing it inside. You know, you seemed out of breath when you walked out of the door and you even asked me if I'm hearing something." He laughed crazily, "I just have a dirty mind."**

 **I winced at that. Ray has the purest mind but when it comes to me, his mind turns dirty. How will he approve of me if he thinks of me that way?**

 **I remained serious though, "No worries, Ray. We just did some catching up. Kate and I haven't talked for a while."**

 **He smiled and continued typing his work. I checked his computer and got confused. Why is he typing the same letter over and over again?**

 **"Uhm Ray? Do you know how to copy-paste?"**

 **"Copy what, Sir?"**

 **"Come on, let me help you." With that, I taught him how to highlight the text and set it to copy/paste.**

 **"Oh dear! It's that easy! Bless the person who invented this!" I couldn't help but laugh at his lovely exclamations. He was very glad to know that he can copy/paste the texts.**

 **Then, I stared at the frame of his desk and found Anastasia's photo. Her blue eyes glimmered in innocence and adoration.**

 **That's when I knew that Kate was right. I'll chase after Ana . . . even if I do it behind Ray's back.**


	11. Chapter 10

**Hey, Jacque here! Thanks a lot for your reviews. I've been so busy with work, but I feel the need to update this story. So . . . here you go.**

 **Chapter 10**

 **I am usually the kind of CEO who doesn't care about my PA, but Ray was special. It's not just because he's Ana's father, but because there was something so endearing about him. At his fifties, he seemed so innocent. It was fun explaining some basics of Word and Excel to him.**

 **Then, in the middle of our lessons, I would find ways for conversation. I would ask him something personal and I did it as casually as possible. He didn't have any clue about my intentions.**

 **"So, tell me about your life. You're my PA, so I want to know. How's life doing with your daughter?"**

 **Then, he talked about her like she's all that mattered in the world. There was a twinkle in his eyes when he spoke of Ana's innocence, and how kind she was; that despite their financial situation, she'd always be more than willing to give anything she has.**

 **He could talk about her all day. He shared his life experience, and how it pained him all his life to not give her everything she deserved.**

 **It was Ray's pride to say that he finally bought her the cupcake she wanted when she was a child.**

 **That made me wonder, "What else did she want when she was just a child?"**

 **"Oh, she wanted to have fun in the carnival, but I couldn't afford it so . . ."**

 **That gave me an idea.**

 **000**

 _For some reason, I received a letter from Miss Kate Kavanaugh saying that she wanted to meet up at a specific address. Right after work, I didn't hesitate. The truth is I wanted to be part of her magazine. I knew I could do so much more than managing the circulation of a printed product. I could be in the printed product._

 _I wrapped my blue jacket around my neck and took a cab going to the address Miss Kate sent me. The driver led all the way and I stared outside of the window._

 _I am at my early twenties and there's nothing more than I want but to have the career I want in fashion, and to be able to travel the world because of it. I just shook my head. I was dreaming over something I'll never have. Then I stared at my phone and felt conflicted. I wanted Christian too, but he could hurt me._

 _The cab stopped in front of the address, and it was a dark and empty lot. I was hesitant to step out of the cab, but this was Kate who instructed me._

 _Then, I looked out of the window and there he stood. Christian was wearing a black coat, hands inside his pockets, and looking glorious. My heart raced fast._

 _I gulped and paid the cab driver before walking out and standing in front of the dark lot—in front of him as we stared at each other._

 _Then, all of a sudden, the lights appeared, and they were everywhere. They were on the Ferris Wheel circling about in a dragging pace, on a roller coaster that aggressively travels on its rails, the candy kiosks where sweetness was evident, and the balloons were countless, and the many stores that overwhelmed me._

 _I dreamed of this. When I was young, I cried myself to sleep at night because I wanted to be in a carnival. I wanted to experience the rides and to win a bunch of games. This just brought me back to my childhood._

 _Christian smirked and walked towards me._

 _"Ana," he said._

 _"Mr. Grey," I uttered._

 _He frowned, "Call me Christian"._

 _"Christian," his name slipped from my lips and it sounded so natural._

 _He offered his arms and I hooked mine with his. He said, "Welcome to our first date" before we entered slowly into the carnival._

000

 _It was just the two of us. It turns out that he rented the vacant lot and set up a 24-hour carnival. Of course, there were people who set up the whole feria and some food kiosks. They were pretty accommodating, and I could tell that they were happy for us._

 _Christian bought us cotton candies; he had the blue and I had the pink. We were roaming around the carnival. Christian couldn't stop staring at me, but I didn't mind. I am as happy as a child could ever be. I skipped around the place like an overjoyed eight-year old kid and Christian laughed._

 _I didn't even notice that I was cold._

 _Christian took off his black coat and wrapped it around my shoulder._

 _"He-he, thanks," I told him awkwardly. He, on the other hand, stared at my face with the most mysterious look on his eyes. He was thinking of a million things and it made me blush. It was the kind of stare that they described in romance books._

 _I quickly avoided his gaze and said, "Let's go! There's a roller coaster!"_

 _"Alright!"_

 _I grabbed his hand, so I could drag him as I ran. My heart skipped faster when he intertwined my fingers with his._

000

 _Christian told me things that he never told the public. In between the enjoyable rides, we would find time eating something while walking. Right now, his arm was wrapped around my shoulder as I ate popcorn._

 _As we walked, he told me about random stuff. He told me that his favorite song was Passenger Seat by Stephen Speaks. He also told me that his favorite show growing up was Mr. Bean. The country he'd visit over and over again would be Brazil. And, he also told me that Cookie was real. He was his high school dog. But, he didn't haunt his place._

 _"Tell me about you, Anastasia," with that simple cue, I told him how I'm so in love with clothes. I shared my passion about styling women in different articles of clothing. I told him how I would save money, just so I could buy the latest issue of fashion magazines. I shared my story to him—the silly ones, the ones that make me who I am._

 _He listened thoroughly and only butted in when he said, "There's a photo booth. Let's take pictures together."_

 _"Come on!" I overexcitedly dragged him to the photobooth and we made silly faces together as we took out time. A few seconds, minutes, passed. We had our shots and my oh my, we didn't look like ourselves. Those were the wackiest faces. Those faces seemed like they didn't belong to us._

 _They seemed to belong to other people._

000

 _We both had our copies of the photos and now we're back to riding._

 _We've spent hours together, but I'm nowhere near bored. Christian also assured that he kept my Dad busy with night computer classes. I laughed at how sneaky this man was. He seemed unreal. He had this all planned out, huh?_

 _We're riding in a Ferris Wheel and we stopped on top. We weren't afraid of heights, so it was fine by me. In fact, it made me happy to see the Seattle lights from this point of view. I can't help but be in awe._

 _Christian started speaking, "My one carnival memory was when I was ten. I really wanted to test the rides, but my parents didn't allow me. I told them to come with me, but they got so pissed they grounded me. I remembered destroying the bathroom mirror because I just wanted their time._

 _And then, Kate snuck into my childhood room and Mia was with her. They helped me escape our house. We were children without parental supervision in the carnival, but it was the best night of our lives. We really enjoyed it. Mia and I came home and never spoke of it to anyone. It became our lifelong secret. Well, now you know so . . ."_

 _"I'll never tell anyone," I promised._

 _He seemed nostalgic and there was sadness in his eyes. I couldn't help but smile sadly too. I used to think that the rich kids are the luckiest, but they're not. They are kids who are craving the time of their parents. I may not have been a rich kid, but my Dad made sure that I was enough._

 _All of a sudden, there was a loud booming noise, and I cussed as I was startled. Christian chuckled at my reaction. I looked up at the sky and there was a firework show. Different hues appeared across the horizon, and I was blinded by its brightness. Gold, blue, red, and every neon color you could name are found._

 _I looked over at Christian trying to hold back my tears, "Is this part of it?"_

 _He nodded before slowly leaning in, staring at my lips._

 _I gulped at that. He was getting nearer and nearer, and our lips almost brush. I quickly looked back at the sky and laughed nonchalantly._

 _Christian did the same too._

 _Though I sensed awkwardness._

000

 _After the fireworks, we decided to take the carousel ride. I was the one riding on top of the horse while Christian stood before me, making sure that I wouldn't fall off. As the carousel spun round and round, I couldn't help but stare at his beautiful face._

 _"Why are you staring at me like that?"_

 _"Nothing. It's just that . . . you're different."_

 _He smiled, "The Christian you're with tonight is the real Christian."_

 _I smiled at him, "I never really thanked you for giving my Dad a chance at life. You don't know how much it means to us. It's not just about the finance, but it's about having self-fulfillment. You made him feel like he has a purpose."_

 _He was silent._

 _I took advantage of that silence. I leaned close to his face and pressed my lips against his. He was shocked at first, but he responded by pressing both hands on my cheeks. This was my very first kiss, and it didn't disappoint._

 _Our lips were pressed tightly to one another—innocent, tender, angelic, and just the right touch of the sweetest hesitation._

 _Our first kiss made my head spin around but it's not because of the carousel for sure._

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **Reviews?**


	12. Chapter 11

**Hey, Jacque here! I am so thrilled that you love the romantic chapter we had. Thank you for your support. I couldn't thank you enough. I love you all.**

 **Chapter 11**

For some reason, Christian is all smiles today. He is looking at his phone from time to time, texting. I secretly rolled my eyes. He must be fooling another woman.

I shook my head and realized that I was being too judgmental. I decided to just focus on where we are.

This is the first event I went with Christian as his PA. It is the Thanksgiving Party of one of his business partners and I am more than thrilled to be here. We're in a five-star hotel, in a function room that speaks "buffet all you can" and everybody just seemed so nice and formal. I guess this is how the business people have parties.

In between his text messages, Christian introduced me to some big personas as his PA. I couldn't help but present them my best personality.

A woman from one company exclaimed to her husband, "Oh dear, where did we go to again? Paris is the capital of Norway, right? I believe we went to Paris, Ray."

"I think you meant Oslo, Ma'am,' I corrected politely.

She clapped her hands like a child and marveled, "Wow! You are a wizard! Mr. Grey, you have one fine Personal Assistant."

Christian smiled proudly and although he was wordless, I could tell that he was confident that I was the one assisting him. From table to table, we met groups of people and they end up laughing with me or cracking up with my Dad jokes.

"You're doing well, Ray. Good job!" That was the first time Christian spoke to me since he was too caught up with his phone. There was something . . . off about him. It was like he's daydreaming.

I shook my head with disappointment. Whoever he's texting now is a poor girl. I knew men like him. They think they're in love but when they bed the woman, they throw them like trash. Don't get me wrong, I still respect him as my boss but if I were his father, I'd kick him out of the house until he finally changes.

Then, the host appeared on stage and he announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming to this momentous occasion. To make this night more entertaining, let's welcome superstar Tom Jones.

It was like all my bones left my body. My flesh was turning jelly. I couldn't believe. It was like the whole world stopped for a moment. There he was: my lifelong idol performing onstage. Sexy dancers appeared beside him as he sang "Sexbomb". Oh man! He aged but his voice remained the same: suave and classic.

"Sexbomb! Sexbomb! You're my Sexbomb!"

I didn't care if we were in a formal event. This was the concert I've been waiting for. Dressed in my tux, I danced to the rhythm of Sexbomb like in some 80's Disco. I twirled my butt and put my hands up in the air.

"Ray! Ray!" Christian was obviously embarrassed, and I almost stopped, but then the crowd started dancing along. They stood on their feet and made their own stepping. They weren't as energetic as I was, but it didn't matter. For the first time in my fifty-eight years, I was having fun.

"You there!"

"Me?!" I screamed. Oh, freaking holy horses! Tom Jones is talking to me!

"Dance with me on stage! Come on!"

I came on stage and danced next to Tom Jones. I was mouthing every word and the whole crowd was alive. I look at the crowd and Christian clapped his hands confusingly, completely dazed at his surroundings.

He gave me an approving smile and all I can say is that I partied with Tom Jones, baby.

000

 **I left Ray at the party because of two reasons. One, he is enjoying Tom Jones' performances. Apparently, our business partner paid a lot to have him perform. Ray was over the moon. I couldn't help but feel happy.**

 **For two, I was worried about Ana. She said that they're having a toxic day at work and she needs to come home by 10 p.m. With Taylor's disapproval, I went to pick her up alone.**

 **I didn't even know what's going on with me. I couldn't stop texting her. I couldn't stop calling her, nor could I stop thinking about her. There was something that ignited in me, that something that meant I wanted to protect her all my life.**

 **The sky started roaring and I cursed under my breath. Heavy rainfalls violently tapped on the earth and I knew that Ana was in trouble.**

 **I was driving my BMW when I saw Ana walking out of her office. She looked mortified when she noticed the rain. But then, she wrapped her arms around herself and wrongly thought that she could survive the rain. She ran and ran, and she was getting soaked.**

 **She began to cross the street, the same spot where we danced when she was drunk. I got a little de ja vu when the traffic lights hit the 100 second colored in red. I turned the headlights at her and beeped loudly.**

 **Ana turned around and she was breathless.**

 **I didn't give a damn that I don't have an umbrella. I stepped out of the car and we were the only ones on the road. Literally, no one was around due to the late hour.**

 **And we stood there in the middle of the street, under the red countdown of our souls that are caught in the traffic of what we feel.**

 **Rain was pouring harder, we were wetter, and the headlights pointed at us like a spotlight.**

 **"Christian," she whispered, and I didn't hesitate to pull her in for a passionate kiss.**

 **Our bodies pressed against each other, only our wet clothes creating thin barriers. Despite the cold spell, a feeling of heated electricity travelled between us. It was a heat that ignites the lust in me.**

 **Our kiss intensified. My lips moved passionately, and she fought with the same level of intensity. My tongue asked for entrance and she took me. The dance of our tongue started out slow until it became so passionate that we couldn't even breathe.**

 **When we pulled away, I asked in a husky lustful voice, "Let me take you home."**

 **She nodded slowly.**

 **And there you have it! What are your thoughts?**

 **Thank you!**


	13. Chapter 12

**Hey, Jacque here! We're in for another chapter. Thank you for the follows and reviews. I appreciate every single one of them.**

 **Chapter 12**

 _The rain was still pouring hard outside. I sat on Christian's bed wearing baggy shorts and his plaid polo shirt. He provided me with a glass of hot water. My hair's still wet but the droplets of water aren't dripping from my hair tips anymore._

 _"It's a cold night," Christian appeared in the room and I almost dropped the glass. I felt the twinge of heat sort of burning me. He immediately rushed to my aid._

 _"Ana, are you okay?" He immediately took the glass of hot water and placed it on the bedside table. He held my hand and there was that spark again, traveling between us. "Does it hurt?"_

 _"It's just a slight burn," I assured him that I'm okay._

 _The real burn is seeing him this hot. He had the perfect upper body. His abdomen was perfectly toned. His chest was hard, and he was wearing nothing but his pajama bottoms. He looked incredibly hot, and for the first time in my life, I felt heat between my legs._

 _I didn't even think. I pulled him in for an intense kiss. Before I knew it, we were making out torridly. He pressed me on the bed, and he on top of me. My hands travelled at his well-built back, feeling every inch of his skin. He pulled away from my kiss only to give me pecks on the neck._

 _This felt so good and I didn't want him to stop . . . but I knew that I didn't want my first time to be this way._

 _His hand traveled underneath my shirt and before he could cup my breast, I held his wrist and whispered, "Christian, I'm not ready yet."_

 _He froze at that, his brows furrowed in confusion as he looked at me._

 _"You haven't had sex before?" He asked straightforwardly._

 _I shyly shook my head and answered, "No. You're my first kiss, Christian."_

 _That made him freeze like a statue. He thought deeply before removing himself on top of me. I immediately wanted to cry. It's clear that he didn't want me anymore. I mean, he's obviously experienced and I'm not. And besides, I'm not even sure if I am different from any other girls._

 _But my fears melted when he lied next to me and wrapped his arms around me. His chin rested on top of my head and I felt him kiss my hair for a few seconds._

 _"You're not ready yet, Ana and I understand. I'll wait until you're ready." With that, he leaned to give me a chaste kiss on the lips before we innocently slept together._

 _We cuddled as we went off to a deep slumber, and for that, I already dreamed before I fell asleep._

000

 **I had the best night of my life. It's not because Anastasia and I did it. In fact, we didn't but I felt so complete. Having her in my arms felt like the whole world was mine. I've slept with a lot of women, but I never stayed with them. One woman told me that I "cum and go", but it's not the case with Ana. She's . . . different and I don't even know why.**

 **Perhaps it's her innocence that drawn me to her. The kiss we shared on the carousel was her very first. For that, I felt incredibly honored.**

 **I had the brightest pleasure of waking up next to her against the morning sun. Speaking of Ana, she's inside the shower taking her time. I laughed when I saw her reaction with my bathroom. She was beyond astounded. She even said that she'd like to marry my shower.**

 **My bathroom is wide. There's a sink with the mirror on it and on the right side is the shower with a monochromatic gray shower curtain.**

 **I was already in my suit when I knocked, "Ana, I need to brush my teeth. Can I come in?"**

 **"The shower curtain's closed so come in and brush your teeth," she invited jovially.**

 **I opened the bathroom door and brushed my teeth in front of the mirror. I heard water falling down the floor and Ana is humming. I smiled at that. I could wake up to this, you know and maybe join her too.**

 **But then, I heard a voice and I was mortified. Ana stopped humming when she heard it too.**

 **"Sir! SIR! Oh my goodness! Where are you?!" Ray's voice was panicky.**

 **"Just a moment, Ray," I tried to stay calm.**

 **"You're in the bathroom?!" Sir, Sir, this is urgent!"**

 **Then, I saw the doorknob twist open and I couldn't breathe. What am I going to do? The shower's still running and if he sees a silhouette of a girl, he could identify his daughter or worse, he would think that I'd be hooking up with another girl.**

 **Before he could see me, I abruptly entered the shower. It was me and Ana and Ray in a room with a shower curtain separating us.**

 **"Sir, I am so sorry to do this, but I am panicking. Wonted Airlines is threatening to cut partnerships with us. Trust me, Sir, I've been dealing with them for hours and they won't stop until they talk to you."**

 **I couldn't hear anything at all. All I could see was Ana's naked back as she struggled to turn off the shower. I hinted fear in her actions, but there was the heat that we mutually felt. She slowly turned around and I saw her glorious bare body before me. She had perfect ample breast and her shape was something I wanted to trace.**

 **I wanted nothing more but to attack her and take her at this moment, but she's a virgin and I wouldn't want to do it the first time in a shower. And most importantly, her freaking father is just a few inches away from us.**

 **I maintained my composure. Here I was, fractionally getting my suit wet in a shower.**

 **"I am taking a shower, Ray. I can deal with them later."**

 **"But Sir, we might lose them. They are one of our biggest clients."**

 **I hate to say this, but Ray has a point. He has the right to panic. We've been having a rift with this airline company lately when their administration officers changed. Well, I am impressed at how Ray assesses the importance of my relations with clients and I did give him a key to my loft in case of emergencies like this.**

 **I just wished Ana wasn't here when this happened.**

 **"Let me finish my shower, Ray. I'll be out in three minutes. Wait for me in the office."**

 **"Alright, Sir. Sorry for this intrusion," he said before leaving my bathroom.**

 **When he left, Ana and I couldn't stop laughing.**


	14. Chapter 13

**Hey! Jacque here! I'd like to thank everyone who read, followed, favorited, and shared their reviews the last time. Now off we go again.**

 **Chapter 13**

 **I was able to save the partnership with the airline company. That's the problem when there's a new administration. New people have new ideals and they couldn't stick to the standard protocol. I just shook my head and prepared for yet another busy day.**

 **We're out for lunch in the Mondragon Hotel. It's a five-star hotel in Seattle, and I could tell that Ray was enjoying his time. He has been accustomed to the business meetings and socializing in lunch or dinner. I saluted how he could still be confident despite meeting socialites.**

 **Today we're attending a press conference about this new business payroll system, and they insisted I join instead of my accounting department head. If they weren't such big clients, I would've ignored their invitation.**

 **We sat opposite each other in one of the tables and I told him, "Ray, that was a great thing to do. I love how alert you are. You really do care about my company. But next time, don't barge into the bathroom, okay?"**

 **"I apologize about it, Sir. I know that I can only enter the premises of your lounge, but I was panicking. It was my first time dealing with an awfully rude business client."**

 **I nodded, "Fair point, but next time, no entering the bathroom, alright? Just sit on the sofa and wait for me. Calm down and don't panic."**

 **"Duly noted, Sir."**

 **That's what I loved about Ray. He may be thirty years my senior, but he never disregards my authority. In fact, he's a very humble and trustworthy newbie. I know that I can train him to be better. He has proven to me that age isn't really is a hindrance when you want to succeed.**

 **Then, I thought about Anastasia and guilt crept inside me. Her old man needs to know how I feel about her. That proves how sincere I am.**

 **"Ray, there's something I've been meaning to tell you," I felt the nervousness almost consuming my entirety. Adrenaline rushed across my body, traveling in my every nerve and bone.**

 **"What is it, Sir?" Ray asked after grabbing a bite of pink salmon.**

 **"Uhm . . . I—"**

 **"YOU ASSHOLE!" Then out of nowhere, a girl shouted at me. I looked to my right and I couldn't help but cuss.**

 **"You slept with me and then left me the next morning?! What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Everybody was shocked as their attention was on us. I cared less about what everyone in the room might think. All I cared about was Ray's reaction, and how worse he'll think of me.**

 **She almost hit me with her clutch, but Taylor appeared and shielded me.**

 **"Ma'am, let's go out. We don't need to do this here," Taylor was calm, but the woman was ballistic.**

 **Well, things just got worse, didn't they? Another woman who seemed familiar came up and screamed at me too, "What the hell, Christian?! I thought we had that great night because you feel something for me, and then I find out that there's this girl?!"**

 **The first girl stopped and retorted, "What? You slept with Christian?!"**

 **"Yes, I did and guess what? He enjoyed it with me more than he did with you!"**

 **"You bitch!" The first girl shouted before she aggressively jumped on her and pulled her hair. They started pulling each other's hairs, and everyone was gasping. I shook my head as I realized that media men were taking photos.**

 **Then, Ray stood up and tried to help Taylor break the fight. The hotel's security team came too but these women were just too much.**

 **I decided to stand up and said, "Carmen, Flora, this is beyond immature. I know I'm wrong, but this is embarrassing. You don't need to make a scene."**

 **The two women stopped fighting and they gasped at the same time. The look of horror in their faces was evident.**

 **"Carmen? My name is Carmella!"**

 **"And I am Bernadette. Who is Flora?"**

 **The waiter with the tray of champagne passed by and both of them grabbed a glass and motioned to toss it to me.**

 **I'd rather took the insult, because I deserve it for fooling these women. But to my shock, guilt, and embarrassment, Ray stood before me and he was the one who took the champagne. There he was—wet, stained, and humiliated . . . all because of me.**

 **The whole room gasped and all I could utter was, "Ray . . ." I sounded apologetic.**

 **Then, Taylor was on beast mode. He literally scared the two women until they left the venue.**

 **I rolled my eyes at this. Serena, my publicist would hate me once she knew about this. The whole room echoed in whispers and malicious stares. I used to not care about my reputation. I used to not care if people talked shit about me, but I guess it's completely different now that I genuinely care about someone—about Ana.**

 **"Let's go, Sir," Ray said before he wiped himself.**

 **000**

 **We were back in my car while Taylor was driving. Ray and I were seated in the backseat.**

 **"Ray, I am so sorry with what happened. Look at you, you came all prepared at lunch but what a mess. Give that suit to my housekeeper named Gail and she'll wash it."**

 **"It's okay, Sir. It's just a suit," he said. Goodness! I really was doing this wrong. He must think that I'm shallow.**

 **"No, uhm . . ."**

 **"So what did you want to tell me, Sir?"**

 **I realized with all that's happened, I just had to zip my lip. I doubt he would react positively if he found out that his daughter and me are seeing each other.**

 **"Nothing important," I told Ray.**

 **"Then can I tell you something, Sir?"**

 **"What is it?"**

 **"I know my place. I know that you are my boss, and I am nothing but your assistant, but as a father, I think you need to hear this advice: stop playing with women, Sir. Those girls may not be the smartest, but they have feelings to. Whatever kind of woman you meet, treat her like a woman and not a piece of meat."**

 **That silenced me. I could tell he was enraged.**

 **To add up to my already ruined day, he added, "If you're dating my daughter, I would never ever approve of you."**

 **And I was disheartened.**


	15. Chapter 14

**Hey, Jacque here! Thanks a lot for the reviews you sent me. All the follows and favorites really touch my heart. Thank you!**

 **Chapter 14**

 _The night is dark, and the moon is the silver spotlight. Out of all the scenarios in my head, I never imagined this one to happen. The stars were twinkling above me and I'm completely in nirvana._

 _I am inside Christian's red Maserati. He was driving while I was seated on the passenger seat. He rolled the windows down and my hand touched the edge of the window. I dreamily pressed my chin above my hand as the wind blew my hair. I could stop staring at the cityscape at eleven in the evening._

 _In fact, I've never seen this place so beautiful._

 _The car stopped when the stoplight turned red and there was a crimson countdown from one hundred seconds._

 _Christian took the time to ask, "You've never experienced road trips before?"_

 _I smiled as I shook my head. I replied, "Nope. My leisure is actually just all about reading in the public library across our apartment every Saturday."_

 _"Really?"_

 _"Yup," with a popping P._

 _He laughed and asked again, "Where do you want to travel?"_

 _"I dream of traveling to Africa. I mean, most girls want to see the romantic spots like Paris or Rome, but I want to see some animals. The giraffes, the lions, zebras, and all of them! Yes, they're here in zoos but I want to see them natural habitat."_

 _He made a solemn promise when he said, "I will take you there. I will take you to Africa."_

 _That made my heart beat so loud. My cheeks were burning and the anticipation in me just heightened. It's always been my dream and Christian just made a promise to make it come true. Little by little, he has slowly turned my dreams into reality. I imagined Africa to make me happy, but now I'm happier because he'll be with me._

 _I leaned closer to him and aggressively pressed my lips to his. He responded with the same amount of passion. I pulled away from him only to trail kisses down his cheek, his chin, and to his neck. But we stopped when we noticed the lights went green and the vehicle behind us honked like crazy._

 _Christian and I just laughed. He said, "It's time to behave."_

 _We started to the drive again. We roamed around the bright lights of the city, and the night has never been this gorgeous. I felt like a girl caught in a city photograph. The wind blowing in my hair and I close my eyes as the yellow lights illuminated._

 _I slowly opened them and turned to Christian. He was already looking at me with such strange expression._

 _That's when he said, "You're beautiful."_

 _And that's how I knew that he's in love._

OOO

My boss is unusually in a good mood today. There's something about his face that makes me think that something special is going on with his life. He was shining like gold—solid and bright. There's that certain light in Christian that I once had when I met Ana's mother. It's almost as if . . . he's in love.

But I guess we're completely different men. I just hope that whoever he's involved with will not get a taste of how much of a heartbreaker he is.

I quickly stopped my thoughts. I am thinking of him in a professional sense now. We were waiting for Pierre Pagan, the CEO of a French company. In fact, he's an owner of five museums in Paris. He's also Kate's fiancée.

Christian and I sat next to each other.

He told me in a serious tone, "Ray, if we get this deal, my company will have an even better name in Paris. That place has marvelous history and art, and it will prove just how much the company is versatile."

"I totally agree with you, Sir."

He added, "Though he's my best friend's fiancée, I never actually met him."

I turned to the door and we saw a fine-looking man with curly hair enter the scene. Christian cleared his throat and stood up. I followed him. It no sooner happened that the man was standing before us. We shook hands, but I could tell that he was unengaged.

We sat next to each other and Christian just showed his PR skills. He introduced himself and me, and started talking about the company. I was in a positive mood, but Christian stopped talking when he noticed that Pierre was on his phone . . . scrolling and laughing at something.

"Keep going," Pierre said but Christian remained quiet. His eyes were evidently angry. So were mine. This guy was rude.

"I won't talk unless you pay attention to me," I could hear a little growl.

Pierre smiled smugly, put his phone down, and said, "Alright then."

We were already offended. He seemed so arrogant.

He called for the waiter and the young man was enthusiastic when he served us. "G-good m-morning, Sir. Wha-what would you like?"

The waiter's a stutterer and I could tell that Pierre was judging him. He answered, "I want the salmon ala carte and I don't know what these guys want. Better ask the old man."

Christian and I stared at each other when he did that. He's extremely rude and we were offended.

"S-Sir, w-what would you like to order?"

Pierre was already laughing but Christian was classy enough to politely answer, "We want a salad. Two plates."

"W-would tha-that b-be all?"

It was Pierre who answered mockingly, "Y-yes! Tha-that would be all!"

Some people from the next table were laughing, and the poor young man was embarrassed.

"Shut up," Christian said.

"Wha-what did you say?"

Christian stood up and the utensils from the table fell off. The plates broke, and the spoon, fork, and knife were clinking against the floor. Christian's hands turned into fists.

He told him, "We haven't even talked a minute, but I could tell that you are a vile, disgusting, and horrible person. You are extremely rude, and you are fucking ignorant. This waiter has an uncontrollable condition and you fucking laugh at him?! Are you even human? I don't care if you're a CEO. I am a CEO too, far more than successful than you! You better learn some manners."

Pierre made it worse when he just shrugged and took a drink.

"Fuck you! You don't deserve Kate!" Christian screamed before almost punching Pierre. I quickly stopped him.

"Let's go, Sir. It's not worth it."

We left the restaurant but not before Christian apologized to the waiter and told him that he could take home what we ordered.

Taylor waited in the Volvo and once we were inside, Christian dialed a number on his phone and raised his voice, "Katherine, I don't fucking care if my brother broke your heart before. The guy you chose is so much worse. He's a fucking ignorant piece of shit. If you don't break up with him, you're no longer my best friend."

I stared at my boss whose veins were bulging from the neck. He was red. He was angry.

This just told me that he's a good person. He has always been.

I'm starting to see him in a different light.

 **What do you think? Thanks for reading.**


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